Chapter 10: I Was Angry With My Friend

(A/N: No, the case Nick or Judy is on doesn't seem the most exciting. But they're both on it from a reason. It's frustrating, sure, but getting some motivation back helps a lot. Motivation is one of the most important things to have, isn't it?)

The fresh air helped immensely. Nick took a deep breath, trying to steady his paws. Focus on anything else, he told himself- on the cracks in the concrete, on the faded color of the bench he was sat on, how it was a full moon tonight. Keeping his mind on what happened wouldn't do any good.

" I take it this isn't your kind of thing, Nicholas?" he heard. " Or maybe… Not used to the more physical things in this business." The muskrat going by the name of Shani sat next to him, brushing his clothes down. Nick took another breath, clasping his paws and clearing his throat. He tried to ignore the smell coming from the muskrat.

" Listen," Nick said, eyes fixed on the amber eyes of his supervisor. " This type of stuff, I can't keep on doing. Let me keep on doing the smuggling, the con jobs, I'm good at that. I'm no button-man, okay?"

Shani sighed, smiling at him. " And why should I allow that, Nicholas?" he said. " What if I really needed you here?"

Nick shook his head angrily. " Those rats, they do more than enough, and I've gotten you way more cash running talk-jobs for you. This is just…" Nick crossed his arms. " Ain't no joy in roughing up some small bit of prey."

Shani stroked what little chin he had thoughtfully, thick tail winding slowly. "Hm. So if I stop making come and work on these jobs…" The muskrat's smile widened. "… You'll make even more of a profit everywhere else?"

Nick nodded. " I can guarantee you and the big cat at least a ten percent increase." Shani's eyes lit up at that, and he clapped Nick on the shoulder, wishing him the best and how he expected much.

He hadn't seen it as intimidation, not back then. That mangy rodent had pushed him around more than once, and he'd fallen for it every time. It'd had been so satisfying to Tase him, just for those few moments.

Nick squeezed his stress ball again, bringing his eyes down from the ceiling and back to the sleeping rabbit. It was almost one p.m., and she was still fast asleep. The food he brought hadn't woken her, his leaving multiple times and slamming the door hadn't either. He appreciated the silence, sure, but he had questions- Which is why he gently shook her awake.

" Hey! Wake up already, your food's getting cold!" Judy felt someone pushing her back and forth over and over, like a jostling car ride. She kicked a foot out, and the shaking stopped briefly. Her eyes opened to a line of water bottles on her desk, along with a carton of food. She wrinkled her nose, smelling something drenched in sweat, exuding anxiety and… What had gone on last night?

She sat up, stretching her legs out and accepting the water bottle Nick offered her.

" What happened last night?" she said, glancing under her sheets. " I've got all these weird memories…"

Nick raised an eyebrow, opening up the food carton and handing her a slice of warm bread. " Evidence, remember? You were gonna tell me about Mr. Transportation." He settled back into her desk chair, picking his stress ball back up.

Judy scrambled to the edge of her bed, dropping crumbs all over her sheets. She dug for the carryon bag, digging out a plastic bag filled with envelopes.

" You got his mail?" Nick said, tilting his head. " I'm guessing that was all on his counter, right?" Judy nodded quickly, and Nick smirked. " Well, how are we supposed to not get prints-"

Judy pulled out a box of disposable gloves from her desk, pulling them on before picking out an envelope. Nick bit his tongue for the moment, focusing on the note.

Mason's sick. Doctor is expecting a few months until recovery. Any donations would help immensely.

" That's it?" Nick said. " So someone's in jail, and our friend is meant to pay towards a bail? Next." He handed her another bottle of water, that she quickly finished. The next letter was more verbose.

Mr. Secretary, I heartily believe that the bill to increase the price of train fare be amended to allow no more than a dollar price increase. As a hardworking Zootopian, I feel it would be a heinous crime to charge anything more. Please consider how this is affecting the taxpayer, the parent, the moonlighting worker…

The letter trailed off on a rant about the buses not running on time, the narrowness and congestion on many of the streets, and the disgusting amounts of dirt and grime on the intersection of Renard and Oiche.

The next two letters made Judy's ears turn a deeper red, and she quickly placed them by Nick, muttering something about it not being right with him sitting there. Apparently, a doe by the name of L. had a very vivid memory of her past visits and went over new ideas in detail. Nothing interesting or useful then.

The last one was more work-safe.

I hope that you read this as everything comes crashing down around you, Tom. You'll make mistake after mistake, and sooner or later it's going to catch up to you. And I'll be there, sitting pretty with the house, the money, and…

" Angry wife, a happy mistress…" Nick muttered. " Someone complaining about price raises, and someone's in the 'hospital'." He leaned back in the chair, watching Judy place the letters back into the bag, looking back at her notepad.

" Well, there's at least one motive," Judy said thoughtfully. " Wife feels betrayed and wants him humiliated- she definitely complains about him 80% of the time." She tapped her pen against her chest, thinking. " Maybe… Keep digging? She might have dirt on him if she's so angry. "

They argued for a bit on where to dig- Nick wanted to dig on his friends and income, Judy wanted to see if the wife had any plans to ruin him. They hashed out ideas for the next hour and a half, until Nick stood up, arms crossed and staring her down. He wanted to go for a walk, apparently.

Sunset was still a while away, and the breeze wasn't strong today. They wouldn't want to walk for long, and the crush of mammals on the sidewalk didn't help much. It had them pushing and skirting around for a while before they found a quiet spot.

" You want to talk about it some more?" Nick said, watching Judy out the corner of his eye. " I'll listen, promise."

Judy shook her head, and Nick lowered his gaze to the ground for a while before speaking up. He was careful to keep his gaze forward, his voice level and even.

" Being tough is great and all, Judy." He said. " I get it, I really do. But… But you got someone to talk to, okay? You know I don't like owing people." His tone became teasing. " And I could pay you back by listening to my favorite rabbit for a while." She smiled slightly, and he continued. " Would it help if I said I was worried for you? "

" You don't have to be all dramatic, Nick." She said, rolling her eyes. " No reason to get all out of character to get me to talk."

Nick laughed, shaking his head. " I'm not allowed to worry? The most important mammal I know could've been hurt, and-" Nick saw her smile widen, her ears perk up a little higher. She was eyeing him now, and he continued. " – and I don't want to let you carry around hurt when it can be worked out." He said firmly. " Keeping stuff in leads to people getting messed up inside, angry and-"

" I get it," she said gently. " I'm- I'm not scared anymore, okay? There's plenty of guys like him, and I know I'll see more of them all the time. But, I got something that might have him get what he deserves."

Nick turned to her, frowning. " We ain't superheroes, partner. Things don't just disappear. What scared you last night?"

They walked for a while in silence. Judy eventually paused when they reached an empty part of town, biting her lip. " He was always trying to keep me near him, always trying to whisper in my ear or grab on-" she shook her head. " It's fine, really." She said. " I'm… I'm a detective, right? This is what I have to learn to deal with. Being alone, and not always having someone to swoop in and help me out…" Nick watched her stare straight ahead, mind somewhere else.

" I'm here right now." Nick reminded her. " And I'll try my hardest to be there when you need it, okay?"

Judy wrung her paws. " So you can pay back a favor?" she said, eyes downcast. " Just to pay me back…"

Nick's paws clenched, and he raised his voice. " To keep you going, because you're important. Okay? Keeping you happy isn't ever a favor, not after helping me through all my mess."

Judy shook her head. " Name one thing I've actually done. This whole thing-" she frowned. " I wanted this whole week to be about helping you, and what's actually been done? What kind of friend am I?"

Nick grabbed her paw carefully, stopping her and waiting until she faced him. " It's not about saying the right thing or doing something all the time, okay?" he said. "You want to keep hanging around me, you aren't scared of me, you treat me like I'm important. That already means a lot."

Judy's brow furrowed. " But all your past stuff, shouldn't I help you get over it? Talk you through the regret?"

Nick shook his head. " You doing all that stuff I just said… It helps a lot. I can go to sleep without thinking I'm bottom of the barrel, sometimes. I feel like I'm making a difference, you get me?" He squeezed her paw. " When you got someone telling everyone else to treat you right, when someone looks at you the way you do to me…" Judy's ears reddened again, and her eyes drifted to her paw encased in his. She stayed still.

Nick smiled. " Few more months," he said. " and I can be with you in Detectives Division, right? Once I get there, you'll have all this experience, great pay, and you can show me how it's done." He chuckled. " And we can gush about all the money we make now."

Judy squeezed his paw. " It'll be different without you there." She said sadly. " I'll have a new partner until then…"

Nick nodded thoughtfully. " So complain to me after work- I'll make it up to you." He thought for a second. " Couldn't hurt to get all that sadness and stuff out now, right?"

They started walking again, and Judy spoke up first, going on about how undercover work was terrifying, how she'd miss him, how she hoped she wouldn't change into someone cold. She kept telling him how scared she was that he was going to find someone else.

Nick brought up something she'd remember for a while.

" You know," Nick said, peering through shop windows they passed. " This case right now might be nothing, sure, won't ever get on the news. But that doesn't stop us from being heroes. We're still making a difference, even if that difference is one house at a time. And maybe one day we'll be big-h heroes again." Nick chuckled, shaking his head. " Sure is a difference from what I used to do… And where'd all this mush come from?" He sighed. " Guess the therapy is working. Ugh, Zur won't let me hear the end of it now..."

He started talking about someone named Shiny, and although she had no clue who that was, Nick didn't make him sound pleasant. It was only one day of venting, sure, but she still felt elated. Real progress!

It surprised him how easily he vented. It didn't hurt as bad as he thought it would, and she was still listening. It took him a while to place why he did, too- he trusted her. After all the venting she did… wasn't it right to do the same thing back? It was only fair.

It was a small talk, in the grand scheme of things, but it was enough. Nick didn't feel as stressed, and Judy felt happier than she'd been in a while. They went back to planning until they had to make their way to the Geárr's, goals in mind.